In today’s digital age, while we capture countless photos on our smartphones, the desire to hold physical prints of our cherished memories remains strong. But with so many online photo printing services available, Where Can I Print Photos with the best quality, service, and value? This guide dives into a detailed comparison of several popular online photo printing services, helping you make an informed decision for your precious photos. We’ll explore print quality, pricing, packaging, and user experience, based on thorough testing and analysis.
Mpix stands out as a well-known name in photo printing, even offering a convenient app for ordering directly from your smartphone. However, in comparative tests, Mpix’s prints were surprisingly ranked as least favorite by panelists. A significant drawback was Mpix’s cropping issue when printing smartphone photos. If you are someone who pays close attention to photo composition, this forced cropping might be a deal-breaker.
Alternatives like EZprints and RitzPix provide a more smartphone-friendly approach by offering a 4:3 aspect ratio print size, perfectly suited for typical smartphone photos. For those who want complete control over cropping, Printique and Nations Photo Lab give you the option to print your images uncropped, regardless of the aspect ratio mismatch. Currently, Mpix doesn’t offer these crucial options for smartphone photographers.
Bay Photo is another service that caters to smartphone photos with small, optimized print sizes and robust packaging. Despite these advantages, Bay Photo’s print quality was considered average in tests. In blind comparisons, it was rarely chosen as a top pick, generally settling as a satisfactory second choice.
For budget-conscious consumers, Snapfish often appears attractive due to its very low prices. However, the adage “you get what you pay for” rings true here. Snapfish delivered some of the most disappointing print results. Both 8-by-10 and 4-by-6 prints suffered from harsh contrast, losing detail in shadows and highlights. Portrait photos also exhibited noticeably orange skin tones. Packaging was another area of concern. Smaller prints arrived in a flimsy cardboard envelope offering minimal protection. While the 11-by-14 print was shipped in a tube, the lack of internal padding led to damage during transit, as shown below.
Damaged photo print from Snapfish due to inadequate packaging during shipping, highlighting the risk of bent edges.
Snapfish’s inadequate packaging resulted in damage to an 11-by-14 print during shipping. Photo: Amadou Diallo
RitzPix also encountered packaging problems, with an 11-by-14 print arriving damaged. Shipped in a flat envelope with thin backing boards—similar to those found in inexpensive photo frames—the package was only slightly larger than the print itself. Consequently, the print’s corner was damaged when the package was crushed during shipping. This damage, pictured below, could have easily been avoided with a larger envelope or a more protective box, which several other services utilized. The subpar packaging is particularly concerning given RitzPix’s high shipping fee of $14.95, more than double the average of other tested services.
Corner damage on a RitzPix photo print caused by insufficient packaging, illustrating shipping vulnerabilities.
An 11-by-14 print from RitzPix arrived with corner damage due to undersized and flimsy packaging. Photo: Amadou Diallo
EZprints, similar to Snapfish, was among the services that consistently produced below-average prints. Every print exhibited a hazy, washed-out appearance, lacking sharpness and clarity. Areas of solid color also appeared somewhat mottled.
Shutterfly, while being the second most expensive service tested, offered only average print quality. The primary complaint with Shutterfly was its packaging. Small prints were shipped in a thin, flat envelope, and larger 11-by-14 prints arrived rolled in a tube. This tube packaging resulted in curled prints that required flattening before they could be displayed. While uncurling prints is possible, as shown below, it requires care to avoid creases or ripples.
Curled photo print from Shutterfly, a common issue with tube packaging, requiring flattening before display.
Shipping tubes, while protective, often result in curled prints from services like Shutterfly. Photo: Amadou Diallo
Zazzle offers photo printing but is designed for single-item orders with limited paper choices. The ordering process involves individually dragging each image onto a print-size template for each print size, making it extremely cumbersome for ordering multiple prints.
Winkflash suffers from a significant number of negative customer reviews. Beyond reports of customers losing access to their hosted photos due to ownership changes, many users have experienced issues with customer service. Customer support is limited to a web form, with no phone or email contact options, making Winkflash a service to avoid.
FreePrints, as the name suggests, offers up to 1,000 free 4-by-6 prints per year, requiring only shipping payment. However, their website is sparse, providing minimal information about the company, print quality, or the ordering process, all done through a phone app. This lack of transparency raises concerns, echoing the adage, “if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.”
Amazon Prints provides 4-by-6 prints at a competitive price, although slightly higher than budget rivals like Snapfish. For Amazon Prime members already using Prime Photos, ordering prints is seamless. Print quality was in the mid-range—not exceptional, with slightly orange skin tones, but not the worst either. Prints arrived within six business days. However, the packaging—a flat mailer with thin cardboard inserts—was disappointing, leading to corner damage on one print.
Walmart offers a 4-by-5.3-inch print size, accommodating smartphone 4:3 aspect ratio photos without cropping. However, their overall selection of print sizes is less comprehensive compared to top-rated services.
In conclusion, when considering where can i print photos, it’s crucial to look beyond just price. Print quality, packaging, and ease of use are all vital factors. While some services offer tempting low prices, the compromise in quality and potential for damage during shipping can outweigh the savings. For ensuring your precious memories are printed beautifully and arrive safely, investing in a service with a proven track record for quality and care is often the best choice. For flattening curled prints from tube packaging, a safe method involves using weight, as illustrated below.
Effective method for flattening curled photo prints by placing them under heavy books, ensuring they become display-ready over time.
Flattening curled prints safely using heavy books for 24-48 hours. Photo: Amadou Diallo
